Jumping
by shopgirl152
Summary: Jack is about to jump off a bridge, feeling hopeless. It's up to David to pull his friend back from the brink. And he does it in the most unexpected way possible. Javid one-shot


"Sometimes, the only thing you can do is jump." He calmly takes a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it.

"What?" I look incredulously at him. "Jack, you can't be serious. You jump off that bridge and your life is over."

"So what if it is? I ain't go no family. I ain't like you Dave, with your fancy clothes and your family. A roof over your head."

"We're not as well off as you think. Why do you think I started hawking papers? I did it because my Father got injured at his job and we had to find some way to make ends meet."

"Yeah, but you have someone to live for. People that care about you. What have I got?"

"You have the Newsies." I lift a leg over the railing, gulping at the height. "Jack, you have all of us. We're a family. You and Me and Crutchy and Spot and Racetrack…."

"It's nothing but a temporary fix Davey. What do you think's gonna happen when all this dissolves? If we ever beat Pulitzer and Hearst? You ever think about that, huh?" He looks down at the water below and I can hear a small gasp. He looks back at me. "Nothin. We win, fight the fight and then what? We all go our separate ways and forget about each other? Forget about what we stand for?"

"How can we forget what we stand for? We're a Union. That has to count for something right?"

He smirks at me, casually tossing the now finished cigarette to the side. "It don't count for much."

"Come on Jack, don't do this. We need you. The Newsies need you. You're the leader."

"Fine leader I am. I—"

I grab him by the shirt collar, clamping a hand over his mouth. "You listen to me Jack. Don't do this. Nothing good will come of it. We'll fall apart without you." Gulping, I barely manage to squeak out the next sentence. "_I'll_ fall apart without you."

"What?" That gets his attention. "Dave…what are you saying?"

"I'm saying the Newsies won't be the same without you_. I_ won't be the same without you."

"Wha—"

"I need you Jack."

He smirks. "Fine sight you are, eh Davey? Bein all weepy and mopey. Never seen this side of you before. Bein all vulnerable." He takes another cigarette out of his pocket. "I might just say it's almost endearin." The cigarette stays unlit between his fingers.

"You know what Jack? Maybe I am vulnerable. But you know what? At least I have the courage to come out and face my problems instead of fixing them by ending my life. Jumping won't solve anything."

He stares at me, seeming to consider what I just said. "You know what Dave? It won't solve anything. But it ain't stopin me either." He looks down. "Long way down, ain't it?"

"Jack—"

"Nope. Sorry Davey. I'm jumpin. That's all there is to it." He throws the unlit cigarette to the side, then spreads his arms wide. The next three seconds happen in slow motion: his arms spread wide, leaning forward, legs completely straight out, falling forward—

"No!" I make a dive, grabbing him by the back of his shirt collar. He's extremely heavy and I grunt in frustration as I try to pull him back.

"Dave, what are you doing? Let me go!"

"No! Never! I don't care what you do or what you say, I'm not letting go Jack. I'll stay here until my arms fall off if I have to."

"Well here's another fine mess you've gotten me into."

"Me? I'm not the one jumping off a bridge! You know what, maybe I should have let you jump. It would be a lot less work for me!"

"Then why don't you? What's so important about this life or me? What is so important about me? Answer me Dave!" With one last grunt, I manage to heave us both up, Jack kicking and screaming. He's livid and pissed as hell. "Now what the hell did ya do that for? Now I'm gonna have to go and—"

Without a thought in my head, I grab him, pulling him to me. I have to think of some way to make him stop railing, to make him listen. So I do the only thing I can think of.

I kiss him. Full on the mouth.

Our lips stay locked for several seconds until he pulls away. "Geez, now what'd ya have to go and do that for Dave?" He wipes his mouth. "I got man spit in my mouth."

"Because it's the only way you'd listen." I can feel a smile creeping across my face. "You jump off that bridge and you hurt everybody, including me. Is that something you really want to do Jack? Do you want to hurt the people that love you?"

He absently licks his lips. "Well…now that you mention it…" his voice gets quiet. "No."

"Okay then." I wrap an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, let's go back home."

"Fine." He sets his hat on his head. "But the second it gets bad, I'm coming back here and I'm jumpin off that bridge. And no amount of kissin is gonna stop me, you hear that Dave?"

I thump him on the back. "Yes Jack, I hear you."

"I mean nobody, but nobody, tells Jack Kelly what to do, you hear me?"

"Yeah Jack, I got it."

"Good." We walk in silence for a minute before he speaks again. "Hey Dave?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm, uh…look, I'm glad you were here. Back there. I…" he takes his hat off, running a hand through his hair. "I…"

I smile, thumping him on the back again. "It's okay Jack. I know exactly what you mean."


End file.
